ZWE Network gathering 2026
By Tad Kirakowski (CEO of VOICE)
It's already been a year since the last ZWE Network gathering, the annual meeting of the over 40 members organisations of Zero Waste Europe, and so much has changed in those 12 months.
Over the 3 days of the gathering we share stories from the work we are engaged in at home and discuss the challenges and emerging topics in circular economy and zero waste for the year to come.
As we look to the Circular Economy Act in Europe, there was a strong focus on the role of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes play in a circular economy. EPRs offer opportunities to better segregate and recycle (and sometime reuse) material, but often come with limitations when it comes to prioritising reduction over recycling.
This year saw an emphasis on the topic of textiles, as countries across Europe face up to the growing issue of textiles waste and how to implement the upcoming regulations in a way that is not simply ticking a box, but delivering a genuinely transformative approach to consumption. We heard stories from members in Slovenia, Estonia and Brussels of mapping infrastructure, implementing collection and supporting reuse and repair.
Throughout the week we discussed issues from deposit return schemes, incineration, chemicals in a circular economy, and the campaigns for reuse by members across Europe.
These discussions look not only at the local level but how we bring these solutions to the European stage, and how do we enforce the regulations and guidelines that are there already, in our home countries! We also visited the ruse centres and the Zero waste certified hotel, which reduced waste over 60% through addressing food waste, packaging and how they engage with staff and visitors.
Solidarity is a fundamental part of the work that we do, to build the resilience to keep on fighting for a more sustainable future. We shared stories of the difficult political headwinds being faced by many in their work and funding, while also hearing the optimistic stories from the NGOs in Hungary.
Solidarity was also the theme of the final talk of the week, as Froilan Grate presented on the work of GAIA in the Asia Pacific region, connecting our work in Europe to the global context. Froilan discussed zero waste cities, waste segregation, emerging issues in waste. He pointed to the importance of collaboration between the Global North and Global South in driving the global changes we need to build a fairer more sustainable future.
Waste is a violence, as one presenter put it. It is a violence to the earth, the environment, to individuals and society. Solidarity is at the heart of confronting that violence and building a more positive sustainable future.
